Takata Air Bags ....seriously?

[Rickb]

Why does all the rhetoric , sound exactly like the rational folks who thought seatbelts were unsafe- What if you get trapped in the car, what if, what if...and after all the B.S. they are mandatory and DO save lives. It is a tragedy that lives were lost as a result of a defective product(s), yet folks still buy GM products after the defective key that too took innocent lives. Life is risk, the degree we wish to engage it is self determined, (like g1 jumping off buildings-lol).
50 years of biking with a helmet is my balance of -risk vs gain, but I've always felt that a waiver should be signed that if you chose not to wear one (helmet), your brain injuries should be your own financial responsibility. i.e. as you sign a release before jumping.
After all the corrections/upgrades/lawsuits and injuries suffered with the airbags, the lives saved will greatly outnumber the injuries and deaths caused by the bags. And just as my kids automatically put on their seat belts, (remember the invasive government's/ loss of freedom, big brother requiring seatbelt?) So too shall this pass, and this issue will be integrated into the driving experience and become just a footnote.

(sarcasm) Yes, damn those invasive safety regulations implemented to save people and more importantly their kids from serious injury or death. I don't believe Takata officials 'knowingly' used faulty material in their products, but a tragic defect nonetheless.

 

[CheeseheadEarl]

Like I've said before, lifetime warranty through litigation. Most of the vehicles on the recall list are 10-15 years old, and likely have bigger safety issues due to rust or lack of maintenance.

If I was Takata, I'd sell all the airbags with an expiration date. Replace after 5 years, or use at your own risk. Race car safety gear is all date coded and needs to be replaced at regular intervals. We change oil, plugs, timing belts, etc., why not gear designed to save our lives?

Effn lawyers have flat destroyed this once great country.

 

[Ty]

pull the Airbag fuse

... and then set off the air bag when you disconnect it. They'll pop even with the fuse pulled. Ford has very specific directions for pulling the airbag and one of those is to disconnect the battery(s) and wait, I think, 15 minutes so the capacitors in the system can discharge prior to pulling the bag. DO NOT think you can just pull a fuse and be all hunky dory. Still, pulling the airbag is MUCH more dangerous than just having it in the car.
Chances of dying by Airbag (though greater than the chances of dying of Ebola), are pretty low. Compare that to things you should ACTUALLY be more concerned about. (I find it funny that people got so wound up with Ebola this year even though almost no one died from it and it is VERY hard to contract. When asked, professionals said "Get your flu shot." "Will that prevent Ebola?" "No. But it will help prevent the flu which kills thousands more times of people than Ebola."

Heart disease: 1 in 6
Cancer: 1 in 7
Stroke: 1 in 28
Accidental poisoning by toxic substances: 1 in 130
Falls: 1 in 171
Car accident: 1 in 303
Assault by firearms: 1 in 306
Motorcycle accident: 1 in 770
Accidental drowning: 1 in 1,123
Exposure to smoke/fire: 1 in 1,177
Cycling: 1 in 4,717
Firearms discharge: 1 in 6,309
Air and space transport accidents: 1 in 7,032
Exposure to electric current, radiation, temperature or pressure: 1 in 9,943
Exposure to excessive natural heat: 1 in 12,517
Cataclysmic storm: 1 in 46,044
Contact with hornets, wasps and bees: 1 in 71,623
Lightning: 1 in 84,079
Bitten/attacked by dog: 1 in 120,864
Earthquake: 1 in 148,756
Flood: 1 in 175,803
Fireworks discharge: 1 in 386,766

Air Bag Accidental Discharge: 1 in 2,225,000

In the Elio, despite any crash test scores, there isn't going to be a lot of metal between you and the item you are impacting. I, for one, wouldn't want to get rid of a major safety device.

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

I'll take a shoulder/lap belt - and remove any air bag system that is installed. My insurance co. may not like it

That, in my opinion, would be tragically foolish. Cutting off your nose to spite your face.

If you do that and are injured in a crash -- your fault or not -- likely any involved insurance companies will refuse to pay your medical bills since you willfully disabled a primary safety device. If you have a passenger and they are injured, expect to be sued for willful negligence.

 

[Stephen Workman]

That, in my opinion, would be tragically foolish. Cutting off your nose to spite your face.

If you do that and are injured in a crash -- your fault or not -- likely any involved insurance companies will refuse to pay your medical bills since you willfully disabled a primary safety device. If you have a passenger and they are injured, expect to be sued for willful negligence.

Last time I checked, this was still the USA. I'll do whatever I want (legally) with my property. You may not agree (THAT'S YOUR RIGHT), but I will never agree to follow your logic. Deal with it AND MOVE ON!

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

I will never agree to follow [...] logic.

That much is clear.

Moving on...

 

[Bert]

Here in Colorado it is illegal to tamper with the air bag systems. It is also a loophole for insurance companies not to pay off, even if you have full coverage!

 

[RUCRAYZE]

... and then set off the air bag when you disconnect it. They'll pop even with the fuse pulled. Ford has very specific directions for pulling the airbag and one of those is to disconnect the battery(s) and wait, I think, 15 minutes so the capacitors in the system can discharge prior to pulling the bag. DO NOT think you can just pull a fuse and be all hunky dory. Still, pulling the airbag is MUCH more dangerous than just having it in the car.
Chances of dying by Airbag (though greater than the chances of dying of Ebola), are pretty low. Compare that to things you should ACTUALLY be more concerned about. (I find it funny that people got so wound up with Ebola this year even though almost no one died from it and it is VERY hard to contract. When asked, professionals said "Get your flu shot." "Will that prevent Ebola?" "No. But it will help prevent the flu which kills thousands more times of people than Ebola."

Heart disease: 1 in 6
Cancer: 1 in 7
Stroke: 1 in 28
Accidental poisoning by toxic substances: 1 in 130
Falls: 1 in 171
Car accident: 1 in 303
Assault by firearms: 1 in 306
Motorcycle accident: 1 in 770
Accidental drowning: 1 in 1,123
Exposure to smoke/fire: 1 in 1,177
Cycling: 1 in 4,717
Firearms discharge: 1 in 6,309
Air and space transport accidents: 1 in 7,032
Exposure to electric current, radiation, temperature or pressure: 1 in 9,943
Exposure to excessive natural heat: 1 in 12,517
Cataclysmic storm: 1 in 46,044
Contact with hornets, wasps and bees: 1 in 71,623
Lightning: 1 in 84,079
Bitten/attacked by dog: 1 in 120,864
Earthquake: 1 in 148,756
Flood: 1 in 175,803
Fireworks discharge: 1 in 386,766

Air Bag Accidental Discharge: 1 in 2,225,000

In the Elio, despite any crash test scores, there isn't going to be a lot of metal between you and the item you are impacting. I, for one, wouldn't want to get rid of a major safety device.

BYW, and although it's a societial taboo in the U.S. ( no such problem in Europe)the odds of dying from nuclear plant exposure are so low, I don't think it's measurable!!! We remember the accidents but - there is a growing number of green advocates that are beginning to understand how safe it is compared to other forms of energy production.
And what are the odds of being burned by a McD cup of coffee? BTW she was seriously injured, it wasn't a scam Netflix has a documentary

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

Here in Colorado it is illegal to tamper with the air bag systems. It is also a loophole for insurance companies not to pay off, even if you have full coverage!

While I don't think it should be illegal, I don't think it's a "loophole" that allows insurance companies to not pay when willful acts result in avoidable injuries. It's called personal accountability, a rarity anymore.

I fully support anyone's right to make stupid choices ('Murica!), but only so long as they agree I don't have to pay for the consequences of their choices. I shouldn't have to pay higher insurance rates because someone else foolishly disabled their airbags.

 

[Bert]

While I don't think it should be illegal, I don't think it's a "loophole" that allows insurance companies to not pay when willful acts result in avoidable injuries. It's called personal accountability, a rarity anymore.

I fully support anyone's right to make stupid choices ('Murica!), but only so long as they agree I don't have to pay for the consequences of their choices. I shouldn't have to pay higher insurance rates because someone else foolishly disabled their airbags.

Byproduct of natural selection??